New Brisbane

When I first moved to Brisbane and was waiting for my downtown apartment to be ready, I stayed for about a month at Bunk Hostel in Fortitude Valley. Little did I know that the bar attached to the hostel which I spent my evenings drinking in was an iconic Brisbane nightlife spot. That bar is Birdee Num Num.

Birdee Num Num
Cnr of Ann St and Gipps St
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane City
Ph: 1800 65 22 34

At heart, Birdee Num Num is a backpacker bar and on any given night of the week you will always find a large number of funnily-accented people in there drinking beer and having fun. Unlike some backpacker bars however, Birdee Num Num lets in people that aren’t backpackers too, and the masses regularly line up almost around the block in order to join in on the fun times that Birdees has to offer.

The inside of the club is pretty chill, with a long main bar and plenty of lounges that you can spread out and hang with friends on while you sip your drinks. Inside also features a dancefloor, complete with podiums, which is guaranteed to get packed when their nightly DJ starts cranking out the dance tunes.

I recommend the Long Island Iced Tea, or an Absinthe Redbull if you’re feeling brave.

Outside is by far one of the best beer gardens in Brisbane and is a great place to chat with mates over a well-priced jug, while you play pool or lean on one of the many benches. The outside beer garden also plays host to a rather large cocktail bar, featuring an impressive menu - I recommend the Long Island Iced Tea, or an Absinthe Redbull if you’re feeling brave. The outside bar also does a strange twist on ’shots’, by far having the biggest shotglasses I have ever seen used in a bar. The smoking area at Birdees is also worth commenting on - although small, it is extremely sociable in there and you’ll often see people doubling up on eachother’s laps just so that they can stay and join in the party that goes on back there.

But Birdees isn’t just good on the weekends. Throughout the week, Birdees offer a range of backpacker/student priced meals, which are not only tasty but also have pretty good variety. And as if that wasn’t enough to draw you down earlier in the evening, there’s a 2 hour happy hour every night, as well as regular nightly drinks specials.

And if you’re looking for a place to host a function, Birdees caters to that too. With both outdoor and indoor areas able to be roped off, there’s plenty of room for all your guests. If you prefer, you can also exclusively book the club for your function, to ensure your guests aren’t disturbed by any riffraff from the outside world. More details available from the number listed above.

So whether you’re looking for a place to kick off your night, or a place to keep it pumping, Birdees is the place to be. I’ve been there past many a 3am lockout and imagine I will see many more. Don’t forget to say hi to Dion behind the bar.

- Ross